Armchair Armchair GenealogyGenealogy

(Successful Long-(Successful Long-Distance Genealogy Distance Genealogy

Research)Research)Don Rightmyer Don Rightmyer Editor, Editor, Kentucky AncestorsKentucky Ancestors

Second Saturday Family History-WorkshopSecond Saturday Family History-Workshop12 June 201012 June 2010

(Rescheduled from 9 January 2010 due to weather)(Rescheduled from 9 January 2010 due to weather)

Why Armchair Why Armchair Genealogy?Genealogy?

““I can’t get there from here.” I can’t get there from here.” Research location is too far away.Research location is too far away.

It’s “that time of year.”It’s “that time of year.”Bad weather, too hot, too cold, major rockslide Bad weather, too hot, too cold, major rockslide on interstate, etc.on interstate, etc.

Physical limitations make it difficult to travel Physical limitations make it difficult to travel for research.for research.

Cost of travel is prohibitive. Cost of travel is prohibitive. Lodging, meals, gas, competing family vacation Lodging, meals, gas, competing family vacation plans, etc. -- or the research location is overseas.plans, etc. -- or the research location is overseas.

Doing ResearchDoing Research

The ideal is “to go” – see the original documents, The ideal is “to go” – see the original documents, see the setting in which your ancestors were see the setting in which your ancestors were born, lived, worked, and died. born, lived, worked, and died.

Go and meet others who are doing genealogical Go and meet others who are doing genealogical research, and maybe even meet a distant research, and maybe even meet a distant cousin.cousin.

Being there opens up options you may never Being there opens up options you may never know or guess from sitting at home.know or guess from sitting at home.Materials you might never know of or have Materials you might never know of or have access to.access to.

Use Every Method Use Every Method AvailableAvailable

EmailEmail Look for Look for THETHE most likely person to be responsible for most likely person to be responsible for

distance research.distance research. Drawback: Did your email request “get there” and did it get Drawback: Did your email request “get there” and did it get

to the correct person?to the correct person? PhonePhone

Find out exactly who will help you.Find out exactly who will help you. ““Are you the person who will be helping me?”Are you the person who will be helping me?” Write out what you need to request or ask about.Write out what you need to request or ask about.

Write a letter (or fax your request)Write a letter (or fax your request) Probably your last option.Probably your last option. Provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Be realistic on Provide a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Be realistic on

the size of envelope. the size of envelope. Drawback: address your envelope to the Drawback: address your envelope to the right office and right office and

personperson..

Realities to UnderstandRealities to Understand

The person who will do the long-distance search for The person who will do the long-distance search for you you maymay change from one request to the next. change from one request to the next.

Most people handling research requests are not Most people handling research requests are not doing doing onlyonly that job. They usually have other full- that job. They usually have other full-time responsibilities, too. Reference librarians time responsibilities, too. Reference librarians normally help library customers, answer phone normally help library customers, answer phone inquiries, assist with Internet users, and inquiries, assist with Internet users, and your your genealogical requestgenealogical request is what they do in is what they do in between. between.

People get pulled onto other temporary projects, People get pulled onto other temporary projects, get sick, go on vacation, retire, move to another get sick, go on vacation, retire, move to another job, get “down-sized” – in other words, they are job, get “down-sized” – in other words, they are not available 24/7.not available 24/7.

Be SpecificBe Specific

Specify what you want the person you Specify what you want the person you contact to find for you.contact to find for you. Don’t waste their time and yours having them Don’t waste their time and yours having them

send you something you already have. If they do, send you something you already have. If they do, be considerate and don’t criticize.be considerate and don’t criticize.

Figure out what you already have and what Figure out what you already have and what you need.you need.

Do not be afraid to specify exactly what Do not be afraid to specify exactly what you’re seeking. Particularly if this is for a you’re seeking. Particularly if this is for a lineage application, etc. lineage application, etc.

Don’t Overwhelm the Don’t Overwhelm the SearcherSearcher

Provide a reasonable number of items Provide a reasonable number of items you want the researcher to locate for you.you want the researcher to locate for you. Obituary search, etc. Obituary search, etc.

Make a reasonable request and then make Make a reasonable request and then make additional requests if you have a lot of material to additional requests if you have a lot of material to obtain.obtain.

Five individual obituaries covering a period of Five individual obituaries covering a period of death years is a good start. If you request more, death years is a good start. If you request more, be prepared to wait longer.be prepared to wait longer.

Excessive number of items requested can Excessive number of items requested can really slow down getting the material you really slow down getting the material you need.need.

Ask About Charges – Ask About Charges – FirstFirst

Ask up front on first contact if there are charges.Ask up front on first contact if there are charges. Don’t Don’t assumeassume that you’re getting service for that you’re getting service for

free. If you don’t ask, don’t be surprised if you free. If you don’t ask, don’t be surprised if you receive your material plus an invoice for copying, receive your material plus an invoice for copying, etc.etc.

Personal experience: $10.00 minimum charge for Personal experience: $10.00 minimum charge for a periodical article photocopy from a university a periodical article photocopy from a university library – over 25 years ago. Article was six pages library – over 25 years ago. Article was six pages – they had a $10.00 minimum fee. – they had a $10.00 minimum fee.

Basic fee may provide a specific number of Basic fee may provide a specific number of copies – anything more cost extra.copies – anything more cost extra.

Ask About ScanningAsk About Scanning

Can you obtain scans of photographs and Can you obtain scans of photographs and text materials?text materials?

Scans of photos and documents helps with Scans of photos and documents helps with possible article publication and placement possible article publication and placement in any published family history.in any published family history.

Specify if you want a color scan or a Specify if you want a color scan or a black/white. Don’t leave it to a guess on black/white. Don’t leave it to a guess on the part of the person helping you.the part of the person helping you.

Specify approximate dpi (scan quality) you Specify approximate dpi (scan quality) you need, especially if you plan to have it used need, especially if you plan to have it used in a published work, article or book.in a published work, article or book.

Do Not Wait ForeverDo Not Wait Forever

Be Be patientpatient, but do , but do notnot wait wait foreverforever to get a to get a response back from the research organization you response back from the research organization you have contacted.have contacted.Research requests can get lost on an employee’s Research requests can get lost on an employee’s desk.desk.Envelopes and letters can fail to show up in their Envelopes and letters can fail to show up in their mail.mail.Your timing can be “bad” and a large number of Your timing can be “bad” and a large number of requests come on the same day. You may be on requests come on the same day. You may be on the bottom of the stack.the bottom of the stack.Local genealogical and historical groups Local genealogical and historical groups generally have part-time support so mail is not generally have part-time support so mail is not checked every day.checked every day.

What Can You Get from What Can You Get from Your Armchair?Your Armchair?

Unpublished manuscripts – challenging but can be Unpublished manuscripts – challenging but can be done.done.

Photographs – prints or scanned imagesPhotographs – prints or scanned images MapsMaps Family historiesFamily histories Surname files Surname files County historiesCounty histories Historical publicationsHistorical publications Local contactsLocal contacts Birth certificates, death certificates, etc.Birth certificates, death certificates, etc. Newspaper articles, photosNewspaper articles, photos Excerpts from books, articles, and monographsExcerpts from books, articles, and monographs

Consider a Donation For Consider a Donation For Services RequestedServices Requested

First, determine if there is a charge of any kind for First, determine if there is a charge of any kind for what you are trying to obtain.what you are trying to obtain.

Photocopy cost per pagePhotocopy cost per pageMailing costMailing costPeriodical photocopy – is there a standard “minimum Periodical photocopy – is there a standard “minimum

charge”?charge”?If there is no charge involved, consider making a If there is no charge involved, consider making a

donation to the organization that has helped you.donation to the organization that has helped you.A donation to the organization for their continuing A donation to the organization for their continuing

genealogical research work will enhance your ability genealogical research work will enhance your ability to get good service, and help others in the future.to get good service, and help others in the future.

Make a check out to the organization, not the person Make a check out to the organization, not the person helping you.helping you.

If You Need to Go If You Need to Go YourselfYourself

Check to make Check to make suresure the research facility will be open on the the research facility will be open on the day and time you plan to make your trip, and can handle day and time you plan to make your trip, and can handle your research needs.your research needs.

Call before you go Call before you go Recent bad weather in the areaRecent bad weather in the area (This happens more frequently than it should.)(This happens more frequently than it should.)

Local plumbing/maintenance problemsLocal plumbing/maintenance problemsPossible local disaster – KDLA water leakPossible local disaster – KDLA water leakBoyle County Public Library – major plumbing problem – cleanup Boyle County Public Library – major plumbing problem – cleanup

needneedLexington Public Library – Kentucky Room leakLexington Public Library – Kentucky Room leak

Staff training dayStaff training day

HolidayHoliday

Success StoriesSuccess Stories

By ILL: By ILL: Local public library: ILL – Master’s Thesis Local public library: ILL – Master’s Thesis on Bowling Green, Ky., during the Civil War on Bowling Green, Ky., during the Civil War Local public library -- Thomas Speed’s Local public library -- Thomas Speed’s The The Union Regiments of KentuckyUnion Regiments of Kentucky

By Mail: Original of Susan Hughes’ By Mail: Original of Susan Hughes’ monograph on Camp Dick Robinson in the monograph on Camp Dick Robinson in the Civil WarCivil War

Web site/email: Copy of Fifty-Year History of Web site/email: Copy of Fifty-Year History of the United States Air Force Academy the United States Air Force Academy

Materials received far exceeded expectations.Materials received far exceeded expectations.

Long-Distance Long-Distance DisappointmentsDisappointments

Research institution contacted does Research institution contacted does not have the materials you want. not have the materials you want.

Scope and coverage of historical Scope and coverage of historical material received is not as material received is not as comprehensive as you had hoped comprehensive as you had hoped for.for.

FailuresFailures

Numerous occasions on which a letter was Numerous occasions on which a letter was never answered, etc.never answered, etc.

Emails were not received on the Emails were not received on the “addressee” end.“addressee” end.

Did not do my homework to find THE place Did not do my homework to find THE place where the documents/records are at.where the documents/records are at.

Failed to ask the question – “did not knock Failed to ask the question – “did not knock on the door.”on the door.”

Did not follow up with inquiries that did not Did not follow up with inquiries that did not produce answers in a reasonable period of produce answers in a reasonable period of time.time.

Resources for Long-Resources for Long-Distance ResearchDistance Research

Genealogist’s Address BookGenealogist’s Address Book (also on CD-ROM) (see (also on CD-ROM) (see bibliography for more resources)bibliography for more resources)

Genealogical Research/Historical Organization Web Genealogical Research/Historical Organization Web PagesPagesLook for “Contact Us”Look for “Contact Us”Research RequestsResearch RequestsStaff DirectoryStaff DirectoryGenealogical/Historical Materials Index or Summary Genealogical/Historical Materials Index or Summary

County Courthouse BookCounty Courthouse Book

State Research Guide – for states you need information State Research Guide – for states you need information fromfrom

Presenter Presenter

Don Rightmyer Don Rightmyer Editor, Editor, Kentucky AncestorsKentucky Ancestors

Kentucky Historical SocietyKentucky Historical SocietyFrankfort, KY 40601Frankfort, KY 40601

(502) 564-1792 Ext. 4435(502) 564-1792 Ext. 4435don.rightmyer@ky.govdon.rightmyer@ky.gov